Solana to bow out

Euronews

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana has said he will step down in October when his 10-year mandate expires. This was in an interview with Spanish daily ABC. At 66, Solana has also served as Nato secretary general and as foreign minister for Spain. He told the paper that he was going whether or not the EU’s Lisbon reform Treaty is ultimately ratified.

He had been a frontrunner for the new high-powered post set to be created by the Treaty, which would combine the existing EU foreign affairs job with that of external relations in the European Commission.